One Direction’s Liam Payne had ‘pink cocaine’ in system when he died: reports
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Liam Payne LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 28: Singer Liam Payne attends the World Premiere of "I Am Bolt" at Odeon Leicester Square on November 28, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
(Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A preliminary toxicology report showed former One Direction bandmember, Liam Payne had cocaine and other substances in his system.
The report was not released officially but an Argentine official, who was not named, released the initial results. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
The official final report is not expected to be released for weeks, The Associated Press reported, but the report that was leaked was given to the Argentina National Prosecutor’s Office in Buenos Aires on Monday.
Payne’s injuries were consistent with a fall from three stories, and the prosecutor’s office, which typically investigates sudden or unexpected deaths, said no one else was involved in the singer’s death.
He had “multiple traumas” and “internal and external bleeding” with 25 injuries documented on his body, ABC News reported.
They believe he was either in a state of “semi or total unconsciousness” when he fell from the hotel balcony. Drugs and alcohol were found in the room. Officials believe that he had a substance abuse-induced breakdown when he fell, the AP reported.
ABC News was the first to report that Payne had what is called “pink cocaine” or a mix of several drugs including methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA in his system. Despite its name, there is no cocaine in the mixture, and the “pink” comes from food coloring, NBC News reported.
The Drug Enforcement Administration sent a warning about pink cocaine, also known as Tusi or Tuci, last week, saying that it’s a party drug that is cropping up in New York City.
A gram of pink cocaine can cost $20 to $100 and is being sold online and through social media apps, DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino told WCBS last week.
“It can put people into a ‘k-hole’ where they feel like they’re in a blank space, like they are disassociated from their body, they’re disassociated from their brain, they don’t know what’s going on,” Bridget Brennan, New York City’s special narcotics prosecutor told WCBS.
He also had cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack the report said. An improvised pipe that was assumed to have been used to ingest the substances was also found.
Photos from the room showed powder on a table, a pack of the antidepressant clonazepam and other over-the-counter medications in Payne’s belongings. A hotel employee had called the city’s emergency number to report an aggressive guest who seemed to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the AP reported.
“We need to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with balcony, and we are afraid he could do something that threatens life,” ABC News said the employee told the operator.
Officials are trying to find out who gave Payne the suspected drugs. Police in Buenos Aires interviewed three hotel employees and two women who visited the singer a few hours before his death.
No arrests or charges have occurred in relation to Payne’s death, ABC News reported.
Payne’s father is in Argentina to claim his son’s body and return it to England for a funeral. Officials are expected to release Payne’s remains next week, the AP reported.
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Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: (L-R) Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Liam Payne of X-Factor band One Direction attend the Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 World film premiere at Odeon Leicester Square on November 11, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Liam Payne attends the Royal Film Performance and World Premiere of 'The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader' at Odeon Leicester Square on November 30, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: (L-R) Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zane Malik and Niall Horan of 'One Direction' attend a photocall during the X Factor press conference at the Connaught Hotel on December 9, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: Singer Liam Payne of One Direction performs at Radio City Music Hall on March 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Liam Payne, of musical group One Direction, performs at Nickelodeon's 25th annual Kids' Choice Awards, March 31, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) (Chris Pizzello/AP)
Through the years SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 13: Harry Styles (L) and Liam Payne (R) of One Direction perform live on stage during the Matinee performance at Hordern Pavilion on April 13, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - One Direction's Zayn Malik, from left, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles pictured during an interview on Capital Breakfast with Dave Berry and Lisa Snowdon, in their studios in Leicester Square, in London, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2012. (Yui Mok/PA via AP, File) (Yui Mok/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Louis Tomlinson, from left, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Liam Payne arrive for the World Premiere of "One Direction: This Is Us," at the Empire Leicester Square, in London, Aug. 20, 2013. (Ian West/PA via AP, File) (Ian West/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - One Direction's Liam Payne, from left, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles pose backstage at the Capital FM Summertime Ball held at Wembley Stadium, in London, on June 6, 2015. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP, File) (Dominic Lipinski/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Liam Payne of One Direction performs during the Honda Civic Tour at Qualcomm Stadium on Thursday, July 9, 2015, in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File) (Rich Fury/Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - One Direction members, from right, Liam Payne and Harry Styles perform on ABC's "Good Morning America" at Rumsey Playfield/SummerStage on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) (Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Liam Payne of One Direction (1D) performs in concert at MetLife stadium Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Photo by Robert Altman/Invision/AP, File) (Robert Altman/Robert Altman/Invision/AP)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - One Direction's Niall Horan, from left, Harry Styles , Simon Cowell, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne present the Music Industry Trust Award to Simon Cowell at the Music Industry Trusts Award (MITS) in aid of charities Nordon Robbins and Brit Trust at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in London, Nov. 2, 2015. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP) (Dominic Lipinski/AP)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 24: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson from One Direction with their British Artist Video of the Year award at the BRIT Awards 2016 at The O2 Arena on February 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Luca Teuchmann/Getty Images) (Luca V. Teuchmann/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 28: Singer Liam Payne attends the World Premiere of "I Am Bolt" at Odeon Leicester Square on November 28, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Liam Payne performs during the first day of BBC Radio 1's Biggest Weekend at Singleton Park, in Swansea, Wales, May 26, 2018. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP, File) (Ben Birchall/AP)
Through the years CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Recording Artist Liam Payne performs during Nickelodeon SlimeFest at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images for Nickelodeon) (Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)
Through the years SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 13: Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 13, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for The ATC) (Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for The ATC)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Liam Payne performs onstage during day one of Capital's Jingle Bell Ball with Coca-Cola at London's O2 Arena, on Dec. 8, 2018. (Ian West/PA via AP, File) (Ian West/AP)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 06: Liam Payne performs during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena on March 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) (John Phillips/Getty Images)
Obit Liam Payne FILE - Singer Liam Payne poses for photographers upon arrival at the Global Gift Gala in London, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File) (Joel C Ryan/Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
Argentina Liam Payne Obit FILE - Liam Payne poses for photographers upon arrival at the British Fashion Awards in London, Dec. 5, 2022. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File) (Vianney Le Caer/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Through the years DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 21: Liam Payne attends the Grand Reveal Weekend for Atlantis The Royal, Dubai's new ultra-luxury hotel on January 21, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal) (Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Ro)
Through the years DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 21: Liam Payne attends the Grand Reveal Weekend for Atlantis The Royal, Dubai's new ultra-luxury hotel on January 21, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal) (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Ro)
Liam Payne FILE PHOTO: Liam Payne arrives at the "All Of Those Voices" UK Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 16, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images) (Kate Green/Kate Green/Getty Images)